This blog is inspired by my interview „Data should be like a plate of hummus,“ a conversation with Lior Barak and Elizabeth Press (myself) from D3M Labs.
Analytics Fear of Missing Out (AFOMO) might be the reason your data strategy resembles a chaotic spaghetti-filled pasta bar, with many options and free-form combinations. This pervasive apprehension compels individuals and businesses alike to scramble in fear of being left behind, driving them to relentlessly try new KPIs and keep options open with any data set they could recall being in their organization.
Here are some aspects of AFOMO and the spaghetti-symptoms and the hummus cure.
KPI-Compulsion:
Spaghetti:
Some people think that using more KPIs means that you are using more of your data, thus getting more value out of the data. More insights the better, right? This compulsion stems from a fear of missing out on valuable insights that could drive success. However, this approach often results in data overload and a lack of focus on the most critical metrics. Remember each KPI is an additional cost both in terms of data processing and storage, managerial time, and maintenance bandwidth.
Hummus:
Start with your business strategy, your objects, what KPI would tell you if you are reaching that objective or not. Then focus on the essential KPIs.
Technology Infatuation Instead of Falling in Love with the Problem:
Spaghetti:
There are so many tools on the market. Every tool represents a cool use case, a new skill. Data professionals can get infatuated with the new possibilities. And believe me sales reps and linkedin posts are there to remind them.
Hummus:
Align tools with strategic objectives. Create purchasing processes and second opinions baked into the process. Make sure that the tool is adding value, that there is enough bandwidth and knowledge to install and maintain the tool.
Data Hoarders:
Spaghetti:
In some teams, there’s a tendency to chase every new idea and data set. While this eagerness can lead to discovery, it may also result in a scattered focus and lack of strategic direction.
Hummus:
It’s important for teams to prioritize initiatives aligned with overarching goals for maximum impact.
Unraveling the Spaghetti: Indecision and Unchanneled Curiosity Lead to Data Chaos
Spaghetti data strategies, driven by indecisive stakeholders and unchanneled analyst curiosity, often result in a tangled mess of numbers, exploded budgets, unmanaged subscriptions, data sprawl, privacy breaches, and soaring cloud costs. In contrast, Hummus data strategies keep resources focused on impactful initiatives that drive results.
Simplify, Hummus-Style: Prioritize Manageable Impact and Boost Data Team Engagement and Success
By focusing on manageable and impactful initiatives, data teams experience greater success and motivation. In contrast, Spaghetti strategies leave teams overworked and in a perpetual firefighting mode, ultimately falling short of stakeholder impact.
Table of contents:
Intro, story behind the title.
2:07 From the University of Haifa to being a data leader in Berlin: The journey.
3:47 Simplicity in data: How do we achieve that?
6:35 Overcoming data chaos: Stop the spaghetti data strategy. Quit throwing KPIs against the wall and seeing what sticks.
9:00 Embracing the simplicity in your data strategy: lessons from hummus.
9:40 Habits that have been successful for you
„Data should be like a plate of hummus,“ a conversation with Lior Barak and Elizabeth Press from D3M Labs.
